Warm Home Front grants - Twickenham's best kept secret

5.11.04pm GMT Mon 24th Nov 2003

Warm Front grants are one of the nations best kept secrets says Vincent Cable, MP for Twickenham. "I often meet constituents who have no idea that they could qualify for up to £2500 of Government money, it is such a shame that so many people are missing out!"

Vincent Cable was commenting on the latest annual figures provided by Warm Front manager, Eaga Partnership Ltd, detailing the amount of grant funded heating and insulation work done in Twickenham.

In September Vincent Cable chaired a conference jointly with Richmond Council to promote the Warm Homes scheme and, since then, networks of volunteers have been created in Barnes and Twickenham to spread awareness of the grants amongst the elderly.

158 residents in Twickenham have benefited, since the scheme began in June 2000, from energy saving as a result of the free Warm Front grant from the Government to improve the heating and insulation in their homes.

£70,862.47 of Warm Front funding has been spent in Twickenham helping local residents save energy, cut the cost of their fuel bills and keep their homes warm during the winter months. However, there is a limit on the available budget for Warm Front grants and demand has been high, so local residents are urged to apply now.

Eaga Partnership has reported 20 households in Twickenham have benefited from a brand new central heating system and a further 88 have received repairs to broken or condemned boilers. A further 141 households will make savings from having their home's insulated.

To qualify, householders need to own their own home or rent from a private landlord, and they also need to be in receipt of an income or disability related benefit. Local residents can contact the Warm Front team on 0800 316 2808 to apply for a grant.